SPORTS WAGERS
Toronto +150 over OAKLAND
The Blue Jays are laboring with many key injuries but they got a much-needed win in extra frames last night. Toronto needed a gem out of Ricky Romero and the A’s were gracious in accommodating him. Therein lies the risk with spotting a significant tag with Oakland. They were hot for five weeks but a close look reveals a team with the league’s worst offensive numbers. They were collectively overachieving and have now returned to their struggling offensive ways. Oakland has scored one run or less in four of their past seven games. Against lefties, the A’s are hitting an AL worst .215 at home and will face one here.
Aaron Laffey has decent stuff to go along with an outstanding 53% groundball rate. In seven starts with the Jays, he’s 2-2 with a 4.20 ERA but an xERA of 3.99. The Jays have won three of his last four starts and on the road, Laffey’s ERA is 3.69.
Tommy Milone has pinpoint control (27 BB in 134 innings) and he needs it to survive at this level. His below-average stuff (velocity caps in 80s), and fly-ball bias profile heightens his risk. Milone was also rocked by the light-hitting Rays in his last start and suddenly he’s a lot more fragile than he was two weeks ago when he was getting plenty of run support. Simply put, fading an offense as anemic as the A’s with an unproven starter (less than one year of big league success) is true value and we'll gladly practice what we commonly preach as there is plenty of bang for our buck in this one.